Analysis: A&M's Manziel proves he's SEC's best QB in upset of Alabama

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John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE/US PRESSWIRE

November 10, 2012; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies fans take photos by the statue of former Alabama coach Paul Bear Bryant before their football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

Johnny Manziel is the SEC’s best QB: Texas A&M’s freshman quarterback entered the battle with No. 1 Alabama with plenty of national attention, but A.J. McCarron, the Tide’s veteran under center, was getting the Heisman hype. That should change after Saturday. McCaron, who entered the game with the nation’s second-best QB efficiency rating, was so-so for the second straight week, throwing for 309 yards and a TD, but also tossing two critical INTs. Manziel, meanwhile, was nearly flawless against a Bama defense that was allowing fewer than 10 points per game. The freshman completed 77% of his passes, accounted for 345 of A&M’s 418 yards of total offense, and most importantly, didn’t turn it over. He stretched the field with his arm and kept drives alive with his legs. In a play that should make his Heisman reel, he spun in a circle in the 1st quarter, bobbled the ball into the air, caught it, and then tossed a TD pass to Ryan Swope in the back of the end zone. Johnny Football torched one of the top defenses in college football in front of a hostile crowd, and he never looked fazed. He may be just a freshman, but he’s the best the SEC has to offer at the QB position right now.

Swope still the man: Mike Evans might lead the Aggies in receiving, and he might become the most decorated receiver in A&M history when all’s said and done. But senior Ryan Swope proved Saturday why experience means so much. Evans played well, using his size to his advantage and stretching his 6-5 frame to narrowly pick a few first downs, but he also had a few catchable balls slip through his hands. Swope, meanwhile, was all over the field Saturday. He led A&M with 11 catches for 111 yards and a TD. He made a pair of absolutely critical grabs in the 4 quarter – one over the middle, hanging onto a pass after getting rocked by a Bama safety, and another on the next drive, when he flipped the field and got A&M into field goal range with a six-point lead. Evans might have the gaudier stats, but Swope has emerged into A&M's most reliable target during its most critical stretch of schedule: against LSU, Mississippi State and Alabama, Swope has 30 catches for 313 yards, while Evans had 20 catches for 213.

A&M coaches have guts: After the Aggies jumped out to an early lead on the Tide, some coaches might’ve felt the need to slow things down and not risk letting your freshman QB give momentum back to Bama with turnovers. But the Aggies never took their foot off the pedal. Head coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury continues to throw the ball down field, keeping the Alabama defense honest and giving the ground game room to work. They went for it on a 4th and 6 from the Bama 37 in the 2nd quarter, and though they didn’t get it, it showed the same kind of aggressive mindset that A&M has had all year. Instead of playing not to lose, Sumlin played to win, and it helped his squad score a massive upset.

Aggie defense does just enough: Most people might want to focus on the way the A&M defense nearly gave the game away in the 4th quarter with a pair of blown coverages over the top. But the Aggies held a Tide team scoreless in the 1st quarter, and became just the second team all season to hold the Tide to under 30 points for a game (LSU is the other). They also forced three turnovers – including a pair of INTs on A.J. McCarron, who hadn’t been picked off all year – all of which came at crucial times. Sure, the 4th quarter wasn't pretty, but the A&M defense played well enough through the first three that it didn't matter.

Kicking game almost costs A&M again: Against Ole Miss, a missed extra point in the 4th quarter forced the Aggies to go for a TD instead of a potentially tying field goal. Against Louisiana Tech, another missed extra point gave Louisiana Tech a chance to tie the game late. On Saturday, A&M had to overcome special teams blunders again, as a missed extra point and field goal by freshman kicker Taylor Bertolet cost the Aggies a chance to put the game away early. Bertolet is now just 12-for-21 on field goal tries this season, and the missed extra point was his fifth of the season. A&M will have to seriously address their kicking situation in the off-season.

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